True Confessions
by Jael73
Summary: Sometimes, the ones you love are the last to know. Abby & Ducky.
1. Chapter 1 Life with Ducky

**Confessions**

Disclaimer - I don't own anything, and have no money. :D I just play with them. I'll put them back, I promise!

Chapter 1 - Life with Ducky

Dr. Donald Mallard, ME, was completing an autopsy on a young male lieutenant, but his mind wasn't at the autopsy table. He had just returned from talking to young Abigail, and had several long-standing thoughts on his mind instead.

"If you ever have a chance to meet my little lotus blossom, Lieutenant," Ducky engaged the corpse under him in his reverie. "I most recommend the acquaintance." He looked down at the body and sighed. "Keep your willie tucked, man," he muttered to himself. "She barely kens you're here, not like that, anyway."

"Ducky?" Abby was standing just inside the lab with an evidence bag.

Dr. Mallard jumped and knocked over his tool kit. It hit the floor with a terrific crash. "Oh!" he exclaimed, with a furious blush rising on his cheeks. Here was his lotus blossom in person. How much had she heard of his insane mutterings? He bent down and began to pick up each instrument so as to conceal any coloring left on his cheeks.

"Abigail, you gave me quite the fright! How long have you been standing there?" He tried to say lightly.

"Long enough to know something's wrong." She bent down to help him. "Ducky, is everything ok? Do you need to talk?" She had only caught the last few sentences, and that just barely, as they were muttered under his breath. But she had heard the pain in his voice, and how rare was it that he lapsed into the accent of his youth? Ducky was her special charge. She knew he would never consider her as possible dating material, but she would do anything for the man.

He reached over and patted her hand. "Of course, my dear. Nothing that someone young and beautiful needs to worry yourself about. Now why don't you go and find Mr. Palmer – he's probably dawdling upstairs after lunch – and tell him I'll need him to sterilize these again."

She tried to push herself up, knowing she had been dismissed. But tears came to her eyes before she turn away. How could he just brush her aside? Would he never think of her as a friend and colleague first and her age second? Ducky watched in amazement as tears spilled down her cheeks.

She spinned away and rushed for the door, brushing away the tears that refused to stop.

"Abby!" Ducky called out, almost accusingly in his confusion. She stopped before the door.

"Abby, what is it? Did I say something? Whatever is the matter, my dear?" She heard the anguish in his voice over seeing her tears, which only made the tears fall faster. He pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket and attempted to brush them away on Abby's now mascara-streaked face.

"I can't do it anymore! I can't!" she wailed as she took his handkerchief. "I've tried, oh, how I've tried, but I just can't anymore!" She sounded nearly hysterical.

Ducky was still in the dark. "Abigail, what is it? What could make you this unhappy? Come over here and sit down and tell me about it."

"No. I'll never be able to say this sitting." She turned and faced him, bracing herself, building up all of her strength to say the impossible. She looked straight into his brilliant blue eyes, the ones that changed from baby blue to dark navy when he was angry, or saw an injustice. Like an ocean, they made her feel like she was drowning. That made things easier. You always gave a confession before dying, right?

"I love you. I've loved you for years. And it's not a passing fancy or anything else you like to say about "young people." I thought over time you'd get past the age difference and see just me, but you won't will you?" Anquish and anger crossed her face, leaving Ducky speachless.

He stared at her, not believing his ears. "Abby, I –"

Abby continued with the confession of her soul. "You've told me before that you think of me as a colleague, but it's not true, because you don't think we're equals. I thought after McGee and I broke it off you'd say something, anything, to let me know…I was willing to make the first move even, if only I knew you wouldn't just laugh. God, I only dated McGee to make you jealous!" She covered her eyes with her hands, trying not to remember.

Ducky was stunned silent, too afraid of saying the wrong thing to comfort the beautiful creature in front of him. How could he have missed her unhappiness? His lotus blossom? Was he that biased? No, he had simply been so certain that no such creature could ever have any interest in him that he had missed the obvious fact that she was. What should he say? Honesty, he thought. It was always the best policy.

"It worked," he said roughly, putting his hand up to her cheek. His throat was dry, refusing to let him say anthing that didn't crack with emotion. "You don't recall how sharp I was to young Timothy during that time?"

Abby wiped her eyes with the handkerchief again, confused. "I thought you were being protective, like a father."

"Protective, yes, but not like a father, no." He lifted her chin and looked into her black, sparkling eyes. "Oh, my dear, I had no idea how unhappy you were. Perhaps I've not been observant enough."

He let her see the desire in his eyes for the first time. "It took me a long time to accept that my feelings were…inappropriate. That may have blinded me. It simply hurt too much."

The pained look on his face was too much for Abby.

"Then why, Ducky?" she nearly wailed. "Why not tell me how you felt?"

"Oh, my dear, can you not guess for yourself?" Ducky's voice was almost hoarse with strain. "It had to come from you. You had to be so sure of what you felt; it had to be so desperately important that you would have to say it no matter what the consequences."

He took a deep breath. "Whether I felt the same or not." He made a jester of finality with his hands. "I could not accept anything less, not and be true to our friendship. You are so kind, my dear, that if you knew my heart you would consider giving me what I wanted out of that friendship. And I was unwilling to take your pity."

"Oh, no, Ducky, I would never–" She cut herself off, thinking it through. "You're right. I would be willing to do that for you, if I knew that's what you wanted." She drew a deep breath.

"But that's not what this is," she said quietly, her eyes to the floor.

"No, I know that now," he whispered.

He leaned towards her. Her cheek brushed his. Her breath, suddenly fast and shallow, made his heart race. He kissed her lips gently. They were soft and full. Her mouth opened to his, and he explored it with his tongue. His heart pounded in his chest. _This is what heaven is like_, a thought went through Ducky's mind.

It was the quietist, gentlest kiss she had ever experienced, and yet Abby's skin felt like it was on fire, tingling all the way down to her toes. She found his tongue with her own, and let him teach her how to kiss. She should have known Ducky would be a good kisser, she grinned inwardly.

Ducky heard the lab door swish open, and then open again, as Mr. Palmer obviously came in and backed out quickly. Ducky was unwilling to interrupt this first kiss for something so mundane. Everyone would know soon enough.

"My dear, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," Ducky said quietly, pulling away gently, telling Abby his true feelings about how many times he had imagined taking her into his arms.

Abby felt shy all the sudden. This was real. God had answered her prayer. Could she handle it? "Will you tell Gibbs or should I?" she asked. "Do you think he'll be OK with it?"

"I will take care of Jethro," Ducky said simply. He kissed her again, and took his time about it. Their lips parted only when they both realized that any more was going to get both in trouble with whomever came down next.

Abby was breathing hard. It had all happened so fast, something she had thought would never happen at all. _What would Gibbs think? And Tim?_ Her mind raced wildly. She hadn't meant to hurt him.

"They will wish us nothing but happiness, I should think," Ducky said, interpreting the confused and worried look on her face.

"However, I suggest we take this very slowly. Jethro will have my hide if I was to ever hurt you." _And to give you time to think this through_, Ducky added silently to himself.

A grin formed on her tear-streaked face. "Yea, he'll probably set down rules for dating like "Kissing only!"

"We just might have to abide by that rule until our wedding night," Ducky agreed, and then blushed to the roots of his hair as he realized what he had just implied.

And then he stood his ground and stared her straight in the eye. It would not be long.

Abby grinned again, looking deep into Ducky's brilliant blue eyes.

Ducky kissed her quickly on the cheek this time, content. "Why don't you go on home now so you'll be ready for dinner at seven? There's a little Indian restaurant that I think you will rather like."

"Ok," Abby acquiesced. She was bouncing with joy. Life with Ducky was going to be easy.


	2. Chapter 2 Not so easy

Confessions

Chapter 2 – Not so easy

Mr. Palmer had managed not to arouse too much suspicion amongst the other team members after he had walked in on Ducky kissing Abby in the lab. After sitting in a restroom stall (it seemed the best place to not have to talk to anyone), Jimmy came to the conclusion that their secret was safe with him. He remembered having to sneak around with Agent Lee. He smiled, hopeful. Maybe Dr. Mallard would give him more responsibility now….

So when Abby came up the elevator bouncing with joy, Tony and Tim took notice.

"What's up, Abs?" Tony asked. Gibbs looked up from his desk.

Abby looked over at the rest of the team and blushed. She really didn't want to explain what had just happened, even though she knew eventually they would all know. She didn't plan on keeping her and Ducky a secret, but right now it was so new that she was still feeling a little shy about it.

"Oh, nothing! Ducky and I are going to a new Indian place he wanted to try. I love spicy food!" she said enthusiastically. That should keep everyone from asking the wrong questions, she thought. The team knew that she regularly groused about the lack of good Cajun food in the area.

She walked over to the middle of the work area. Gibbs was still tracking her silently. _God, does nothing get by him?_ Abby asked herself. She was sure he knew.

"Why just you?" Tony asked pentuntly.

Abby turned up the silly quotient. "Because I'm _special_, Tony. Much more special than you!" She grinned. "Gibbs, can I go home a little early? I don't want to go in my jeans."

Gibbs held her eyes. _Come on, don't cave at the Gibbs stare,_ she told herself. "Sure. I had a few things I wanted to talk to Ducky about anyway," he said coolly.

"Thanks, Gibbs!" Abby wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Bye, everyone!" she waved, wanting to get out of there before she was questioned any more.

"Well, she seems rather happy," McGee commented sourly. He was still having a bit of a hard time getting over Abby.

"Can we go home early, too, Boss?" Tony asked hopefully.

"Nope. You need to keep checking on Ziva's location," Gibbs said briskly as he walked to the elevator and punched the down button. "I'll be in autopsy."

The elevator opened to the lab. Gibbs heard Ducky's crisp English accent recording the latest autopsy file. As Gibbs walked into the lab, Ducky finished his sentence and then turned the recorder off.

He looked up at Gibbs. Gibbs looked down at him and gave him the piercing stare that made him such a good interrogator. "Well?" Gibbs asked.

Ducky sighed. Abby had obviously not been able to get anything by Jethro. He tried to deflect the man by saying, "You will have to more specific, Jethro."

Gibbs trusted Ducky, but he also thought of Abby as a daughter. "What's it between you and Abby, dammit!" he said with more force than he had intended, simply because it was a awkward topic.

Ducky's eyes widened in surprise, but he said simply, "Abigail has consented to…a date."

Gibbs looked like he was about to explode. "A real date?"

Ducky looked down at his desk. "Yes." He met Gibb's eyes again, his faced marked with his need for his friend to understand.

The autopsy door opened, and Palmer walked in. He stopped when he saw Gibbs, and looked panic-stricken.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off, Mr. Palmer," Ducky said kindly to him. "I suggest you use it to study."

Yes, thank you Dr. Mallard!" Jimmy nearly ran back to the elevator, almost forgetting his coat. Gibbs and Ducky both smirked at Palmer's nervousness.

Gibbs turned back to Ducky, his anger relenting a little. He had to admit that he had foreseen this possibility. His best friend and his surrogate daughter had a lot more in common than people thought they might. They also had a chemistry that made their working relationship nearly seamless. And after things hadn't worked out with Dr. Hampton, Gibbs had worried that Ducky was lonely.

"I just…be careful." Gibbs said. "You're my friend, but Abby…."

"Jethro, why do you think I've waited so long?" Ducky asked. "I know what she means to you, but if you must know, she is the one that confronted me, not the other way around."

Gibbs paced the length of the room. "Duck, where is this going? Are you sure you're not just –"

"Jethro!" Ducky interrupted. "Good heavens, man, it's a date! The first date! I should think you'd know me better than that!"

The mental picture of Ducky having sex with his Abby was nearly too much for Gibbs.

"You can't possible think she wants –"

Ducky stood up, incensed. How dare his friend assume that Abby could not really love him? He opened his mouth in a retort, but thought better of it. He took a deep breath.

"I do not know. I would not normally second guess Abigail; she is quite thoughtful about her actions, in spite of what some might think. But I will make you this promise, Jethro," Ducky looked him straight in the eye. "I will not take anything she is not willing to give."

Gibbs paused, still trying to discern Ducky's true feelings. But his friend's promise had to be enough for him. _For now, anyway_, Gibbs thought. He nodded curtly, and walked out of the lab. He was going to keep a close eye on this relationship…


End file.
